


try, try again

by ElasticElla



Series: follower milestone ficlets [20]
Category: IT Crowd
Genre: Alternate Canon, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-08 14:45:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15245643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElasticElla/pseuds/ElasticElla
Summary: If perhaps Jen had never smeared chocolate on her forehead to make fun of Roy, this whole asking out business would be going better.





	try, try again

If perhaps Jen had never smeared chocolate on her forehead to make fun of Roy, this whole asking out business would be going better. And remembering how quickly he said yes when she was joking is not helping. 

As it is, Moss is currently squinting at her and cycling through celebrity names. 

“Oh, I know! That odd American bird! The one who never ages, Vanna White!” 

Jen is giving up, isn't ready for the next long list of names Moss probably already has and doesn't want to kill his giddy look. 

“You're right, it was her.” 

“Yes!” Moss exclaims, before looking at her more seriously. “You should do the arms next time.” 

Roy comes back then, three cups of coffee sloshing into each other. “The arms 'bout what now?” 

“Oh, nothing,” Jen says, snatching her coffee and going to her office, not slamming her door, but closing it none too lightly. 

It isn't quick enough for her to miss their exchange: Moss confiding, “Jen needs to work on her charades skills,” and Roy's grunt of agreement. 

Another day she decides. Unless her inconvenient crush poofs away and she can go back to her usual terrible men that don't last past a date. (Throwing away her empty cup, Moss is telling Roy something or other- very tech-y and white noise-like to her ears. And she still wants to hang around and just watch him, which is equal parts desperate and creepy.) 

The second attempt doesn't go any better. 

“Moss, I heard about a new sushi place, would you like to check it out?”

“Sushi,” he muses, and for a brief glimmer of time she thinks he got it. And then he's exclaiming, “The Loch Ness Monster! Nessie, you're Nessie! Mysterious legendary creature that would dine on algae and raw fish. Though I can’t imagine why Nessie would want-” 

“Got it,” Jen interrupts. 

The problem, Jen thinks, is that maybe Moss didn't like the sex they had. It's not like he had anything to compare her to besides pornography and her screaming when she saw him in the morning wasn't the ideal post-coital moment. (She'd never lost her memory before, it wasn't her fault. She’s never drinking that much ever again.)

She doesn’t have much more luck with date attempts. A trip to the movies turns into a group outing with Roy, and Richard somehow tags along to fondue for two. 

Jen gives up after the Fondue Failure. She tried sharing food, wore a provocatively cut blouse, and straight up asked Moss to walk her to her door. (‘But Jen, it’s already 9:48! My mother must be worried, I really must go home and I don’t think coffee before bed is a good idea. I don’t think you should be drinking it so late either.’)

God it’s embarrassing. Love, no lust, no _hormones_ , are embarrassing. Maybe one day there will be a fun procedure to get them all removed and she’ll never do something so silly again. Really, how did she think dating Moss would end up anyways? (An unhelpful image comes to mind of the two of them at a breakfast table, reading different parts of the paper and doing impressions.)

_Embarrassing_. 

Jen walks into work Monday morning, ready with a new non-hormonal mindset. 

“-you see? Non-goths have weird mating habits.” 

“Interesting. Jen, did you know Richard thinks we were on a date? How wild is that?” 

“Oh, you mean the one he interrupted?” 

“The one he- what?” 

“Mhmm,” Jen heads into her office, a twist of satisfaction at Moss’s confused look. Sitting at her desk she has just a moment to think that non-hormonal Jen is rather rude, and then Moss comes in. 

“I beg your pardon?” 

“It was a date Moss, I’ve been trying to go out with you for months! My charades skills are excellent.” 

“Oh,” Moss says, eyebrows furrowed. “Would you like to get lunch today then?” 

“That would be lovely!” Jen shouts, clearing her throat. “I mean, yes.” 

(And it is.)


End file.
